Ink pad with reversible plate



Dec. 22, 1931.

C. H. BRIGHT, JR

INK PAD WITH REVERSBLE PLATE Filed March 20, 1930 ifea Patented Dec. .22, 1931 CLAUDE "H. BRIGHT, JR., F MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE i `1m: PAD WITH REVERSIBLE PLATE Application mea Marengo, viso. serial N. 437,477.

This invention relates to ink pads, particularly those of the reservoir type and it'has for its principal object lthe provision of means interposed between the reservoir and `the stamp pad for controlling the amount of ink transmitted from said reservoir to said stamp pad so that the latter can never become objectionably saturated.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for transferring ink from the reservoir to the stamp pad' involving two successive functions, respectively, the absorption of a limited amount of ink from the reservoir or other supply source, and the transmitting and distributing of the ink from the absorbing means to the stamp pad by capillary attraction. y y

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred andV exemplary embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the `drawings vwhich illustrate the accompanying Specification, andin whichV the same characters of reference are used throughout the several figures to denote identical parts: u Y

Figure l-is aperspective view of. an ink pad constructed to follow the principle-s of the invention;

Figure 2 is taken along the line Figure 3 is a cross sectionitaken line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is' a perspective view, parts being Vbroken away and the stamp pad being removed;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the reser- ,voir portion of the ink pad; andV Figure 6 is a cross section through the transfer plate.

Referring ynow in detail to the several tigures, a Vcasing 1 is provided in which rests a frame 2, the latter cooperating withithe interior bottom wall of said casing to form a reservoir for ink. The top wall 3 ofthe frame 2 is preferably provided with a de pressed portion 4 slotted as indicated at 5in Figure 2 to permit the passage of a wick 6, preferably doubled, the folded portion of a longitudinal vertical section 2- 2of Figure 1;

along the which rest-sk upon the bottomof the reservoiry lthe invention that 12, or otherwise constructed soas to render while the ends are spread in oppositedirections, in the depression 4, the thickness of the wick being such as to cause' itl to extend slightly above the top of said depression so that it must necessarily make intimate contact with the transfer plate 7.

It will be noted in Figure 2 that the bottom of the casing slopes toward one end and that the folded portion of the wick extendsV to the lowest point of said casing so that the last dropof ink in the reservoir may be utilized. It is to be understood that while this represents an ideal construction, the invention in its broader aspect is not limited to the details of construction as shown. 65

The transfer plate 7 is removable and reversible, being preferably Aprovided with a handle 8 by means of which thereversing operation may be conveniently carried out. .f The transfer plate is shown as resting upon the edges of a gasket 9 and having its central portion iny contact with the lendsvof the wick 6. The transfer plate is preferably of metal `having xed tQ its opposite sides absorptive `pads 10 and 11, preferably of absorptive'textile fabric.l It is the intention of the pads on the opposite sides of the transfer plate 7 shall be entirely lseparated from one another, andif the pads are constituted by a continuous sheetv of fabric extending around the ends of theplate and covering both sides asis shown in Fig- `ure 6, then theend 4portions are preferably treated with some substance, as indicated at V said end portions non-absorptive vwith the object in view o-f preventingink applied to oneside of said transfer plate' from creeping around to the other side.

VSeated upon the transfer Aplate 7` is the stamp pad 13. This may be of any desired construction, but preferably consistsof a metallic sheet bent so as to form 'upper and lower'parallel flat Surfaces 14 and 15, respec- Y tively, and a connecting end surface 16, 'Said parallel surfaces and said end surface being covered by a continuous pad 17 preferably of absorptive textile fabric. f

The free ends of the metallic sheet 14 may be Secured in any suitable manner to a rigid 410G .and .the `transfer ,should also. bereversed so,

bar 18 and provided with a suitable handle 19 by means of which the entire stamp pad may be removed or reversed when desired. The upper and lower layers of the textile fabric 17 are in free absorptive communication by way of the portion of fabric which covers the end 16 of the stamppad so that ink transferredtothe lower'la-yer of said textile fabric will creep by capillary attraction around the end 16 of the stamp pad, and Will be uniformly distributed overlthe.- upper or stamp engaging surface thereof.

In operation, it being 'assumedwthatfthe transfer plate has lain upon the wick long enough to have its lower pad "11 saturated Ywithink, it is then reversed so as toJplace the Vsaturated pad .upper-most 4and ,place the ifreshdry pady in contact withtlie wick. The --stamppad nowha-ving its lower surfacein .intimate `contact with thevsaturated pad of the transfer plate :receives ,ink therefrom, ,which ink traverses the absorptive fabric 17 by capillary attraction vas has been explained, ,-uniformvlyzmoistening the entire upper sur- .facebf the stamp pad. It `is obvious lthat no more ink can be suppliedto thestamp pad vvthan that contained in the upper pad yof the .transfer platelso that `there isno risk whatsoever of` the` stamp pad becoming obectionably saturated withnink from'the reservoir.

. tra conv-enienttime, andprefer-ably be- ;fore the top surface ofthe Vstamp pad becomesexhaustedhe stamp pad-is lifted out plate `merely reversed `vs fhereuponfthe stamp .pad is replaced. A .newr-butlimited supplyofink which, inthe (meantime, hasV been-.absorbed by the-reservoir, -.is now placed-uppermostincontact with ,the `lower surfaceofthe stamp pad sothatthe .latter is nowuniformly replenished.

Reversal ofthe transfer plate {from 4time .totime is lallthatfis necessaryinorderto Ykeep .thestamp pad replenished and .there i is .no risk of the stamp ,pad .becoming 1oversaturated.

lf, .by chance the Vstamp pad Vis-V used Ywith- .out reversing. the .transfer plate, untilthe top ysurf-ace .thereof becomes substantially dry and in operative, immediate relief may` be had 4lay,reversingthe stamp:pad,;bringing uppern.most -that surfacefwhich hasbeen in contact with theftransfer plate Vand Ewhich, not .hav- .iug been-exposedto the evaporative effect of the atmosphere, willbe found fit for imme- :diate use. At the same timethe-reversal of :the stamp pad is made, the transfer ,plate that a new supply of ink begins to percolate the stamp padso .that ltlie moi'st .condition of the latter will .'be :fully restored before i the Y working surface thereof becomes entirely depleted.

The casing 1 isfpreferablyprovidedwith a lid 2O adapted tobeik-ept closed when the pad :isinotdnuse for excluding dustandminimizung-,evaporation This lfeaturerisof course .tive surface adapted well known and no claim to invention is based thereupon.

While I have in the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated, provided a reservoir having ink and a wick for feeding it to the transfer plate, the practice of the invention does not necessarily requircthe provision of a reservoir, for the merewetted wick with which the under side of the transfer plate makes contact, is the full equivalent of areservoinialthough ita'equires a more frequent renewal of the ink supply.

lt Vistobe understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific details of construction' as shown,which are merely by way of example and not to be consideredas limita- .tive intheir"bearing upon the scope of the invention as claimed.

What l claim asmy lnventionis:

.1.,In an ink pad, an ink supply and a stamp .pad,atransfer plate between said ink supply and said stamp pad having an absorptive surface adapted .to absorb ink from said ink supply, said plate being manipulable to bringv saidV surface alternatively into absorptive relation to said ink supply and stamp pad.

2. 'In an ink pad, an link supply and a stamp pad, atransferplatebetween-said ink supply and said stamppad having an absorpto absorb ink 'from said ink supply, said transfer-plate being reversibleto bringsaid surface into absorptive relation to said stamp pad.

.3. 'In "an ink pad, an ink supply and a stamp pad, a transfer plate between said ink supply and stamppad having transfer` pads on its opposite'faces Aformed'by a continuous sheet of absorptive material'adapted to absorbfsaid ink from said ink-supply, means Vforming an absorption barrier at the ends of said absorptive sheet segregatingthe opposite surfaces ofthe sheet, saidplatelbeing reversible to bring said transfer pads into absorptive `relation `to said -stamppads "4. 'In an ink,pad, Yan ink :supply and a stamp pad, thelatter having upper and lower faces 'formed o'f a continuous absorptive sheet of material, and reversible means intermediate said ink supply and: stamp pad for. alterf stamp pad,thelatterhavingupper and lower surfaces formed-cfa continuous sheet of` absorptive material.

7'. An ink pad as claimed in claim 6, the stamp pad being reversible.

8. In an ink pad, means forming a reser- Voir, a wick extending within said reservoir and having a portion thereof on the exterior of said reservoir, a transfer plate having independent absorptive pads on its opposite surfaces positioned with one of said transfer pads against said wick, and a stamp pad positioned upon said transfer plate having continuous upper and lower surfaces, the lower one of which contacts with the upper transfer pad, said transfer plate being reversible.

9. An ink pad as claimed in claim 8, the stamp pad being also reversible.

10. In an ink pad, an ink supply, a transfer plate, and a stamp pad, superposed in the order named so that the transfer plate contaets with the ink supply and the stamp pad, said transfer plate and stamp pad being two sided and reversible, the two sides of the stamp pad being absorptively connected, and the two sides of the transfer plate being segregated by a non-absorptive barrier.

, In testimony whereof I aiix my signature. o CLAUDE I-I. BRIGHT, JR. 

